While much of the focus of this weekend's one year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey has been on the physical recovery of Texas, there's also an emotional rebuilding that's taking place in coastal towns that were leveled by the category-four storm, Newsradio 1200 WOAI reports.
"We're in what’s called the disappointment phase. All of the heroism is gone, where people came and helped those in immediate phase. And then you had that honeymoon phase where we are all rallying together, and that's faded," Pastor Scott Jones at the Rockport First Baptist Church says.
He says the community cohesiveness is starting to fade as people realize how long it takes to rebuild their lives. That's led to depression.
"What we're trying to do is plan events like pep rallies, where we can get out there and stay together."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency reports that some 738,000 people across Texas have registered for assistance. One year later, the Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group and a number of other non-profit and volunteer group are helping disaster survivors with their unmet needs.
With an estimated 2,000 regional cases still needing assistance, the group's president, Rev. Beth Tatum says an estimated $30 million is the projected total required to fund these unmet needs in the Coastal Bend region.
"Successful long-term recovery will take a sustained effort for a significant time in the future. This is achieved through sustainability of collaboration and partnerships, additional funding opportunities and the continued donation of labor and materials."
Tatum is optimistic that the coastal bend will recover and be stronger because of it.
“Though the tasks that lie ahead may seem insurmountable, there are glimmers of hope all around as the Coastal Bend continues to recover. It is important to honor every milestone and keep moving forward in a positive direction.”
One thing that Pastor Jones hear a lot from the faith community is the idea that God doesn’t give you more than you can handle. This Sunday, he'll be preaching the opposite. God gives you more than you can handle, he says.
"It gives them permission to be weak, because we realize that we are not the heroes of this story. We allow God to come and be strong in our weakness so he is the hero of our story. That allows people to be okay with the fact that they are needy or broken or weak."
If you're going to be weak, so is the person in the pew next to you, so there is strength in weakness.
PHOTO' MARK RALSTON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES